Class of 2016,

You did it. You’ve walked across that stage, moved your tassel and took countless pictures with your friends, teachers and family after the graduation ceremony. Your summer has officially begun. For the next three months, you don’t have to look at a textbook, a test or homework. While it seems like three months is a world of time to be stuck at home before you head on to your next phase of life, it will go by quicker than you think. Just like high school and senior year went by in the blink of an eye, so will this summer. It’s what you do with this little bit of time that matters.

There are a few givens when it comes to how you will spend this summer. You will spend a portion of the summer telling people about your future plans. You’ll explain where you’re going to go to school and what your major will be. Or you’ll explain the job you took or what branch of the military you’ll be going into. You’ll spend another part of your summer preparing for college applying for financial aid, shopping and packing.

The rest of the summer is yours. The next 90 days are laid out before you. Friends, family, work and countless other things are begging for your attention. Take time to just be with your friends. Put your phones in another room and just catch up. Talk about your futures, your past, anything you want, but pay attention to each other. In three months you’ll want nothing more than to be sitting in your room with the people who know you best.

Spend lazy days at home with your family. Go out for ice cream with your siblings. Spend time just talking with your parents, you’ll miss being able to sit with them when they’re hours away. Make it a point to eat dinner with your family at least once a week. Nothing brings people together like food. You’ll miss the homemade food in a few months.

Get a job for the summer. Working the summer before you leave for school isn’t ideal, but it will be worth it. You will never regret having the extra money to go out with friends or to buy yourself a new outfit. Soon the only clothes you will be able to afford will be from a thrift store, so save your money now.

As your summer comes to a close, you’ll be anxious to leave home. A million butterflies will fill your stomach the week that you move out. You’ll look at your summer, and you may feel like you haven’t done enough. You may wish that you had three more months to do all that you wanted to do. Trust me when I say that your summer went exactly as God planned it, even if it takes you years to recognize that.

Even if someone would have told me all of this as I graduated, I think sometimes it’s best to figure things out yourself. The thing about being 18 and graduated with the whole world in front of you is that you think you know everything. You think you’re invincible and untouchable. Take all of this advice, soak it in, be safe, and have a summer to remember. Congratulations to the Class of 2016, you did it.

Sincerely,
Member of the Class of 2015.